NDE Engineer I

Posted 8 Hours Ago
Easy Apply
Be an Early Applicant
Long Beach, CA, USA
In-Office
90K-136K Annually
Entry level
Aerospace • Hardware • Robotics • Software • Manufacturing
Building reusable rockets to empower science and exploration.
The Role
Develops and owns nondestructive evaluation methods for additively manufactured rocket hardware. The role covers feasibility studies, probability-of-detection and qualification plans, drawing requirements, inspection process improvement, and cross-functional integration with additive manufacturing, materials, machining, supply chain, factory automation, and leadership teams.
Summary Generated by Built In

At Relativity Space, we’re building rockets to serve today’s needs and tomorrow’s breakthroughs. Our Terran R vehicle will deliver customer payloads to orbit, meeting the growing demand for launch capacity. But that’s just the start. Achieving commercial success with Terran R will unlock new opportunities to advance science, exploration, and innovation, pioneering progress that reaches beyond the known.

Joining Relativity means becoming part of something where autonomy, ownership, and impact exist at every level. Here, you're not just executing tasks; you're solving problems that haven’t been solved before, helping develop a rocket, a factory, and a business from the ground up. Whether you’re in propulsion, manufacturing, software, avionics, or a corporate function, you’ll collaborate across teams, shape decisions, and see your work come to life in record time. Relativity is a place where creativity and technical rigor go hand in hand, and your voice will help define the stories we’re writing together. Now is a unique moment in time where it’s early enough to leave your mark on the product, the process, and the culture, but far enough along that Terran R is tangible and picking up momentum. The most meaningful work of your career is waiting. Join us.

About the Team:

The Materials and NDE (Non-Destructive Evaluation) team plays a central role in enabling Terran R to fly, re-fly, and scale: developing, characterizing, and inspecting materials and processes across all parts of the vehicle. From welding and additive manufacturing to advanced composites, the team works at the intersection of innovation and execution, balancing performance and reliability with cost, quality, and schedule. As we move toward first flight and beyond, the challenges become more exciting, offering opportunities to shape how we design and develop for re-use. With ownership across products, systems, and disciplines, engineers gain broad exposure and drive key decisions across design, manufacturing, and operations.

About the Role

  • Own production NDE methods applicable to additively manufactured (AM) spaceflight hardware
  • Own the NDE inspection development process from initial problem statement on hardware, to implementation, to iterative improvement with cross-functional teams
  • Work closely with NDE Level 3s and NDE Engineers to develop and execute feasibility studies, POD’s, and qualification plans incorporating the above Inform hardware changes to enable NDE accessibility
  • Inform and generate drawing requirements for NDE methods on AM hardware using empirically derived process understanding
  • Incorporate interdisciplinary knowledge from the additive/ welding process, non-destructive inspection, machining and post-processing implications
  • Interface with:
    • PBF team to interpret process parameter impacts to material properties
    • Materials laboratory staff to understand material characterization
    • Non-destructive examination personnel to interpret detected discontinuities
    • Supply chain to specify vendor requirements, audit criteria, and process controls
    • Factory and automation teams to onboard NDE inspection equipment
    • Leadership to elevate risks and overcome roadblocks

About You:

  • BS or MS in Engineering or related field 
  • Demonstrated ability to apply engineering fundamentals to achieve a practical manufacturing/production outcome, or similar relevant scope
  • Technical knowledge in at least 1 of the following NDE Methods: Digital RT, CR, ECA, PAUT
  • Direct experience and understanding of additive manufacturing processes
  • Awareness and familiarity with traditional manufacturing processes 

Nice to haves, but not required:

  • Direct experience with AM hardware for aerospace/ propulsion systems
  • Familiarity with industry NDE codes (AWS, ASNT, NASA)
  • Ability to build computational/ statistical pipelines with regard to process/ inspection data
  • Familiarity with key process variables for welding/ DED/ PBF
  • An understanding of aluminums, Ni-based superalloys, stainless steels, and titaniums
  • Demonstrated ability for technical writing (published papers, patents). • Verifiable experience contributing to design and/or qualification of automated NDE systems
  • Working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles and familiarity with MES systems, experience with one or more CAD modeling software platforms

At Relativity Space, we are committed to transparency and fairness in our compensation practices. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors.
Compensation is only one part of our total rewards package. Relativity Space offers competitive salary and equity, a generous PTO and sick leave policy, parental leave, an annual learning and development stipend, and more! To see some of the benefits & perks we offer, please visit here.

Hiring Range:
$90,000—$136,000 USD

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

If you need a reasonable accommodation, please contact us at [email protected].

Please note: Relativity Space does not accept unsolicited resumes, candidate profiles, or referrals from recruitment agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited submission - via email, our website, social media, or directly to an employee - will be deemed the property of Relativity Space, and no fee will be owed absent a current, fully executed agreement with Talent Acquisition that specifically authorizes submissions for the applicable role.

Skills Required

  • Bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering or a related field
  • Ability to apply engineering fundamentals to achieve practical manufacturing or production outcomes
  • Technical knowledge of at least one NDE method: Digital RT, CR, ECA, or PAUT
  • Direct experience and understanding of additive manufacturing processes
  • Awareness and familiarity with traditional manufacturing processes
  • Experience with additive manufacturing hardware for aerospace or propulsion systems
  • Familiarity with AWS, ASNT, or NASA NDE codes
  • Ability to build computational or statistical pipelines for process and inspection data
  • Familiarity with welding, DED, or PBF process variables
  • Understanding of aluminum, nickel-based superalloys, stainless steel, and titanium materials
  • Technical writing experience, such as published papers or patents
  • Experience contributing to the design or qualification of automated NDE systems
  • Working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles and MES systems
  • Experience with one or more CAD modeling software platforms
Am I A Good Fit?
beta
Get Personalized Job Insights.
Our AI-powered fit analysis compares your resume with a job listing so you know if your skills & experience align.

The Company
HQ: Long Beach, CA
2,200 Employees
Year Founded: 2016

What We Do

Relativity Space is on a mission to better connect humanity to space and the universe beyond our planet. Our medium-to-heavy lift reusable rocket, Terran R, will deliver customer payloads to orbit, meeting the growing demand for launch capacity. But that’s just the start. Achieving commercial success with Terran R will unlock new opportunities to advance science, exploration, and innovation, pioneering progress that reaches beyond the known.

Why Work With Us

Joining Relativity means becoming part of something where autonomy, ownership, and impact exist at every level. Here, you're not just executing tasks; you're solving problems that haven’t been solved before, helping develop a rocket, a factory, and a business from the ground up.

Gallery

Gallery
Gallery
Gallery
Gallery
Gallery
Gallery
Gallery
Gallery
Gallery
Gallery

Relativity Space Offices

OnSite Workspace

At Relativity Space, we are an office-first company. We believe our best work happens in person—where collaboration is faster, problem-solving is sharper, and ideas flow more freely.

Typical time on-site: None
Company Office Image
HQThe Wormhole
Company Office Image
Launch Complex 16
Company Office Image
NASA Stennis Space Center
Company Office Image
Kent, WA
Company Office Image
Washington, DC
Learn more

Similar Jobs

Relativity Space Logo Relativity Space

Reliability Engineer

Aerospace • Hardware • Robotics • Software • Manufacturing
Easy Apply
In-Office
Long Beach, CA, USA
2200 Employees
104K-156K Annually

Relativity Space Logo Relativity Space

GNC Performance Engineer I

Aerospace • Hardware • Robotics • Software • Manufacturing
Easy Apply
In-Office
Long Beach, CA, USA
2200 Employees
106K-160K Annually

Relativity Space Logo Relativity Space

Lead Radar Instrument Engineer

Aerospace • Hardware • Robotics • Software • Manufacturing
Easy Apply
In-Office
Long Beach, CA, USA
2200 Employees
175K-263K Annually

Relativity Space Logo Relativity Space

Global Supply Manager, Indirect

Aerospace • Hardware • Robotics • Software • Manufacturing
Easy Apply
In-Office
Long Beach, CA, USA
2200 Employees
116K-175K Annually

Sign up now Access later

Create Free Account

Please log in or sign up to report this job.

Create Free Account